Just a few days after the Syrian government presented its “final offer” to the Kurdish SDF on integration, the two sides were once again at odds, with fighting reported in the key northern city of Aleppo.
At least three civilians were reported killed and 15 wounded in the course of intense fighting at the Sheihan and Lairmoun roundabouts in the important northern city. Dozens of families were displaced from those neighborhoods as they tried to get away from the clashes.
As is often the case in fighting between the government and the SDF, both sides accused the other of starting it. Turkish media insisted the SDF was shelling a hospital in the area and attacking local troops.
Syrian civil defense forces deployed to Kurdish neighborhood in Aleppo | Image from X
The Kurds told a different story, saying their checkpoints at Sheihan roundabout was attacked by forces loyal to the Defense Ministry and that they exercised self-defense in “confronting the aggression.”
The Syrian Interior Ministry told yet another story, claiming the SDF “treacherously attacked” them. They claimed the checkpoints were jointly held, and the Kurds suddenly withdrew from the checkpoints without reason then attacked those self-same checkpoints.
This has been a recurring problem with the integration plans, as the two sides seemingly get into fights every few weeks, both sides blame the other for starting it, and a ceasefire is announced thereafter, setting back the integration plans once again.
Though the goal is to have integration finalized by the end of the year, this seems increasingly unlikely, and as with the conflicts, both sides will likely argue over whose fault the situation actually is.
